Basketball, Phil Jackson style

Coach Phil Jackson will speak with K.C. Johnson and readers on May 23.

K.C. Johnson

It's not often you get to share the stage with a Hall of Fame coach. Rarer, still, is the opportunity to do so with one who has won so often in a championship-crossed town like Chicago.

Phil Jackson represents success to Bulls fans. He represents a calm, Zen-like demeanor on the sideline, the epitome of organization and respect.

The image of Jackson on the Bulls' bench -- arms crossed, relaxed in his chair, allowing his players to fight through adversity because he had done his teaching in practice -- endures.

It resonates even more strongly as a currently depleted Bulls' squad fights its uphill slog against the star-filled Heat.

Beyond asking him about his new book, “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.” and his future plans to possibly enter management, the opportunity to walk Jackson down Memory Lane -- filled with Michael Jordan's highlights, John Paxson's and Steve Kerr's clutch shots, Scottie Pippen's versatility, Horace Grant's and Bill Cartwright's toughness -- should provide for an engaging evening.

Join me for a Printers Row event on May 23. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St., Chicago.

Tickets are $45 for a ticket that includes a copy of “Eleven Rings” and $20 for a ticket only. Visit tribnation.com/events to sign up. Books also will be available for purchase at the event.